Power on the Go: Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station Review

Having backup electrical power is a necessity for my peace of mind while on the water.  A large housebank of batteries, solar panels, and wind generators are all potential solutions, but perhaps the easiest and one of the most cost effective alternatives are lithium ion portable power stations such as the Jackery Explorer 300.  Charging phones, powering fans, and even running my onboard hardwired battery charger are all common uses for our little Jackery.

The thing that makes the Jackery Explorer more than just a large capacity (293Wh) lithium ion battery pack and really useful away from shorepower is the built-in sine wave inverter with two 300W (500W peak/surge) AC outlets. Running a fan at night or just topping off the housebank without starting the gasoline powered generator are nice options.  There's also a 60W USB-C input/output port, 2 USB-A output ports, and a 12V car outlet.  I've found that charging the Jackery 300 with a wall outlet is fairly quick and in line with what Jackery lists in their specs (~3.5 hours for 0-80%).  Even faster charging is available through the wall outlet and the USB-C input, but I don't have the cable for that method so I've never tested Jackery's 2 hour (0-80%) charge time claim.  Yet another charging method is to use a solar panel, but Jackery's proprietary input port for charging means you need to purchase a solar panel from Jackery.  I've seen a few people who have found the matching proprietary male plug end on Amazon and spliced it to their solar panel output cable, but I haven't tried that yet either.  

If you need to run AC electronics requiring more than 300W of power, Jackery has plenty of larger portable power stations, but I find that the Explorer 300 is a nice compact size that does what I need it to do on the boat and also serves as a perfect little power companion in the offseason for running a crockpot and television at fall tailgates.  For less than $300 you're getting a well-made, versatile power supply and inverter that doesn't require any installation or even much thought for running your electronics off the grid.  

Pros: Lots of output ports including 2 AC outlets. Compact size/weight.  Built tough.

Cons: Proprietary input port makes using existing non-Jackery solar panels for charging difficult.

Bottom Line: If you don't have an inverter onboard or simply want another source of reliable electricity for charging and running low power equipment, the Jackery Explorer 300 is a nice choice.

Technical Specs
Weight: 7.1 lbs (3.2 kg)
Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.2 x 7.8 in (23 x 13.3 x 19.9 cm)
Power capacity: 293Wh (14.4V, 20.4Ah)
Charge time: 3.5 - 4.5 hours with AC wall adapter
Lifecycles: 500 cycles to 80% capacity (24 mo. warranty)
Price <$300

Want more sailing gear reviews?  Visit SFLF's Gear Review page here.

Comments

  1. Zab13 September

    I couldn't agree more with the convenience of the Jackery Explorer 300. It's been a game-changer for my outdoor adventures too. Whether camping or boating, having a reliable power source on the go is priceless. It's incredible how it can handle charging our devices and even running a battery charger onboard. Plus, it's portable and hassle-free!

    By the way, if anyone's looking for power cables wholesale to go along with their power station, you might want to check out some online suppliers. I found some great deals recently when I was looking to expand my setup. Happy adventuring, everyone!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Favorite Affordable Bluewater Sailboats

Image
I've always said that my favorite boat is whichever one I currently own. Being able to call it "mine" makes it my favorite by default. My first boat was a $400 derelict that I loved (still love) deeply. And she loved me back. However, that doesn't mean there aren't other boats I love that I'd like to call "mine" someday. The following is my personal ranking of my favorite affordable (available for ~$50k) sailboats. I've rather arbitrarily set the price limit around $50k and called it "affordable" in hopes that one day one of these boats might fit my budget and help my family and I to sail far and live free. Also note that other than the top 3, these rankings change in my head almost daily and I really struggled to narrow the list down to just 10.   As you peruse my list, you'll notice that they're all bluewater cruisers . You won't find any modern designs, fin keels, spade rudders, sugar scoop transoms, carbo...
Read more

Go Small and Go Now! 5 Pocket Cruisers to Take you Anywhere

Image
"Go small, go simple, go now!" -Lin & Larry Pardey Iconic cruisers Lin and Larry Pardey are well-known among cruising enthusiasts for the above statement. Can it really be that easy? Grab yourself a small boat, outfit it properly but simply for offshore work, and get going while your dream and your body is still alive! Lin and Larry not only made the statement, they lived it. If you're looking to do the same, maybe some of the micro- or pocket-cruisers I've listed below can serve as your "go small" portion of the equation. Going small and choosing one of these or several other pocket cruisers will lead to trade-offs. Of course first and foremost you'll be giving up length, both on deck and at the waterline. This often leads to less storage space, less weight capacity, and slower sailing. But the upside is presumably less maintenance (less paint, less wood, fewer systems) and more affordable expenses. For example, replacing the s...
Read more

Escape to the Sea: How to get from the Great Lakes to the Caribbean

Image
Let's say winter's chill was something you could no longer take as a Great Lakes sailor. Or perhaps you just want to extend your sailing season beyond the boundaries of summer. What options do you have?  You could just opt for a bareboat charter somewhere in the Caribbean and consider the itch scratched. But then you'd miss out on all the adventure of moving a boat between the Great Lakes and the Caribbean. And you wouldn't be sailing  your  boat. I'm here to convince you that the best option is to sail your own boat south. What follows is an overview of the route you could take to get you and your boat to warmer water and weather from the Great Lakes. Route 1: St. Lawrence Seaway (including Lake Champlain shortcut) You're adventurous if you choose this route. From most starting locations in the Great Lakes, you'll also be seeing the most scenery and passing the ...
Read more